1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, and more particularly, to a slimmer display module and a method for assembling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, notebook computers having LCDs as display devices are gaining in popularity. Such notebook computers are small in size and thus easy to carry. Notebook computers are operated by internal batteries, and can be used for a certain period of time without additional power.
Notebook computers are designed to have a peripheral equipment, for example, a CD-ROM, a modem, a speaker, and so on, like a common desktop computer. The screen of the notebook computer becomes larger as LCD manufacturing techniques develop. Recently, an LCD panel of 13 inch diagonal size is being used for a notebook computer.
As the screen size increases, an overall size of the notebook computer increases, too. Accordingly, notebook computers weigh more, hindering the carriability. A common notebook computer has a thickness of 40 mm, and a weight of 2 to 3 Kg. The larger screen may increase the weight.
A display module with an LCD panel weighs from 500 g to 700 g, which is a significant portion for an overall weight.
According to the conventional method, a backlight assembly is mounted to a rear case, and an LCD panel, a source and a gate PCBs are attached to a front case via an epoxy or a double-sided tape and are assembled into the rear case.
Here, the source and gate PCBs are electrically connected using a connector member like a flexible printed circuit (FPC) which is also used for applying an electric signal to an inverter.
Accordingly, an overall structure of the display module becomes complicated, and the assembly process also becomes complicated due to various connecting members.
In addition, a reliability against a shock or a vibration for the finished product is degraded.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to achieve a slimmed display module by simplifying the structure of the display module.
It is another object of the present invention to assemble a display module more efficiently.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display module including a rear case shaped as a four-cornered container having sidewalls at each of four edges, a backlight assembly formed by depositing and fixing a reflector plate, a light guide plate, and a series of sheets onto a mold frame that integrally has a lamp assembly receiving portion, a gate PCB receiving portion, and a source PCB receiving portion, an LCD panel module having an upper panel, a lower panel coupled to the upper panel with a liquid crystal layer inserted therebetween, a gate PCB electrically connected to an end portion of the lower panel, and a source PCB electrically connected to another end portion of the lower panel and having a conductive pattern for an electric signal to be applied to an inverter, a main chassis that defines an active screen area of the LCD panel module and couples the mold frame and the LCD panel module to the rear case, and a front case coupled to the main chassis and covering the whole surface of the LCD panel module except for the active screen area.
According to the present invention, the source and gate PCBs of the LCD panel module are directly and electrically connected by a board-to-board method. A first connector that connects the gate PCB and the source PCB is formed on the gate PCB, while a second connector that connects the gate PCB and the source PCB is formed on the source PCB. The first and second connectors are coupled in such a manner that the second connector is located under the first connector.
According to the present invention, the source PCB and the inverter are directly and electrically connected by a board-to-board method. The inverter has at one of its end portion a first connector that connects the source PCB and the inverter, and the source PCB has at one of its end portion a second connector that connects the source PCB and the inverter. The first and second connectors are coupled in such a manner that the second connector is located under the first connector.
According to the present invention, the source PCB is electrically connected to the lower panel through an FPC, which has a driving IC mounted onto its rear surface. The gate PCB is electrically connected to the lower panel through an FPC, which has a driving IC mounted on its front surface.
In addition, a coupling hole for grounding as well as fixing the source PCB to the rear surface of the mold frame is formed on the source PCB.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display module including a rear case shaped as a four-cornered container having sidewalls on each of four edges, a backlight assembly formed by depositing and fixing a reflector plate, a light guide plate, and a series of sheets onto a mold frame that integrally has a lamp assembly receiving portion, an inverter supporting bar, a gate PCB receiving portion and a source PCB receiving portion at its right, left, upper and left edges, an LCD panel module having an upper panel, a lower panel coupled to the upper panel with a liquid crystal layer inserted therebetween, a gate PCB electrically connected to an end portion of the lower panel, and a source PCB electrically connected to another end portion of the lower panel which is adjacent to the one end portion of the lower panel, a main chassis that defines an active screen area of the LCD panel module and couples the mold frame and the LCD panel module to the rear case, and a front case coupled to the main chassis and covering the whole surface of the LCD panel module except for the active screen area.
According to the present invention, a protrusion is formed on the upper surface of the inverter supporting bar, and an aperture for the insertion of the protrusion is formed in the corresponding position of the inverter. Preferably, a guide groove is formed in widthwise direction in the inverter corresponding to the inverter supporting bar.
According to the present invention, the inverter is supported by the inverter supporting bar, so that components mounted to the inverter can face the rear case.
The gate PCB receiving portion of the mold frame has a plurality of windows for accommodating components mounted to the gate PCB and are surrounded by sidewalls and separated by separating walls.
In addition, the FPC that electrically connects the lower panel and the source PCB is bent by 180 degree so that the source PCB is fixed onto the rear surface of the mold frame. Preferably, a driving IC insertion groove for accommodating the driving IC mounted to the FPC is formed on the lower edge of the rear surface of the mold frame.
In addition, the mold frame has a supporting plate, and the portion corresponding to the source PCB is removed from the supporting plate.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display module including, a rear case shaped as a four-cornered container having sidewalls at each of four edges, a backlight assembly formed by depositing and fixing a reflector plate, a light guide plate, and a series of sheets onto a mold frame that integrally has a lamp assembly receiving portion, an inverter supporting bar, a gate PCB receiving portion and a source PCB receiving portion, an LCD panel module having an upper panel, a lower panel coupled to the upper panel using a liquid crystal layer inserted therebetween, a gate PCB electrically connected to an end portion of the lower panel, and a source PCB electrically connected to another end portion of the lower panel and having a conductive pattern for an electrical signal to be applied to an inverter; a main chassis that defines an active screen area of the LCD panel module and couples the mold frame and the LCD panel module to the rear case; and a front case to be coupled to the main chassis and which covers the whole surface of the LCD panel module excluding the active screen area.
Hinge receiving portions are formed in both end portions of the lower edge of the rear case, and an insulator is deposited onto the bottom surface of the rear case at the portions corresponding to the lamp assembly, the gate PCB, the source PCB and the inverter. An insulating tape, for example, can be used as an insulator.
Preferably, the rear case is made of a magnesium alloy.
A plurality of bosses for fixing the main chassis are formed onto the bottom surface of the rear case.
Preferably, guide walls are formed spaced apart from each other and toward the inner side from the upper and lower walls of the rear case at irregular intervals. The size defined by such guide walls is the same as that of the mold frame.
According to the present invention, an electrical signal is transmitted from a main body of a computer to the source PCB of the LCD panel module via the FPC that connects the source PCB and the main body of the computer. The center of FPC in the lengthwise direction that connects the source PCB and main body of the computer is attached to an FPC holder one end of which is to be fixed to the hinge, and the both end portions of the FPC are wound rotatably several times onto the FPC holder. In addition, one end portion of the FPC is inserted into a terminal block mounted to the source PCB, and another end portion of the FPC has a connector for a connection with the main body of the computer.
According to the present invention, the main chassis is shaped as a four-cornered container, four edges of which have respective sidewalls, and has a plurality of coupling holes for coupling to the bosses that are formed integrally with the rear case.
The main chassis has at its center a window for an active screen area. The main chassis is sized to leave a certain space between sidewalls of the main chassis and the rear case, when the main chassis is fixed to the rear case.
At least one of the coupling holes formed at the main chassis is connected to the boss of the rear case via a tab of the mold frame. Preferably, the main chassis is made of stainless steel.
According to the present invention, the front case are shaped as a four-cornered container of which four edges have walls respectively. The center of the front case has a window for an active screen area. In addition, the front case has at its rear surface protrusions to be inserted into the grooves formed on the walls of the main chassis, along its edge.
In addition, a hinge cover portion is formed at the front case corresponding to the hinge receiving portion of the rear case.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assembling a display module of the present invention including the steps of mounting an LCD panel to a backlight assembly that is formed by depositing a reflector plate, a light guide plate, and a series of sheets onto a mold frame, and fixing a source PCB of the LCD panel to a rear surface of the mold frame by bending the source PCB, mounting the backlight assembly to a rear case, mounting an inverter to an inverter supporting bar formed integrally with the mold frame, coupling a main chassis to the rear case so as to fix the backlight assembly and define an active screen area, and coupling the front case to the main chassis so as to cover a whole surface excluding the active screen area of the LCD panel.
According to the present invention, when the source PCB of the LCD panel is fixed to the rear surface of the mold frame, the source and gate PCBs of the LCD panel are directly and electrically connected by a board-to-board method.
In addition, the source PCB and the inverter are directly and electrically connected by a board-to-board method after the inverter is mounted to the inverter supporting bar of the mold frame.